Unusual stone features dot the woodlands and hillsides of New England, and their provenance has been subject to many theories and debate. Kitty O’Riordan is a cultural anthropologist who has been studying the people, methods, and literature surrounding the cultural stone features debate in New England for nearly a decade. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut, where she currently teaches. This talk gives an overview of the changing ways stone features have been understood over time, the friction this has caused between avocational researchers and professional archaeologists, and the benefits and limitations of new techniques in their study. O’Riordan will discuss the ways some are working to repair collaborative relationships to build new networks of communication that provide promise for future investigations of these culturally important places.

In person at Acton Memorial Library and via Zoom—All programs are free but require registration here.